Fifty years ago, Medicare was sold on the promise that it would unite the nation. But with Medicare’s unfunded liabilities approaching $100 trillion — a shortfall equaling almost six times the size of today’s economy — the question is whether Medicare will instead tear Americans apart.
 
Though many people know that Medicare is unsustainable, the program remains a third-rail issue in politics — untouchable in the minds of many Americans and political suicide for politicians who dare to approach it. In this live presentation, ARI analyst Rituparna Basu explains why Medicare has attained this political status and what can be done about it.